Guards kept them in check as he stepped forward, smiling, to shake hands and converse. Scraps of parchment and glamoured graph-sticks were thrust at him. He signed his name in silver, gold and crimson, and wrote inscriptions for the excited, chattering group. Adolescent girls giggled as he autographed the backs of their hands. People tugged at his sleeves. Babies were lifted to have their cheeks pecked.
Two unsmiling men in dark clothing moved towards him through the crowd.
Tanalvah no more than half watched this from her elevated position at the back of the stage. Her attention was on the children.
‘When are we going home?’ Lirrin yawned. Her heavy-eyed young brother, propped against her, was beyond even grumbling.
‘Not long,’ Tanalvah promised, ruffling the girl’s hair. ‘Just as soon as Kinsel gets back.’
Serrah strode up to them.
‘Serrah! I’m so glad you came back. I wanted to say I’m sorry for-’
‘Don’t worry about that.’ She was scanning the lively scene inside the tent. ‘I think we might have a problem.’
At the look on Serrah’s face Tanalvah instinctively drew the children to her. ‘What is it? Is it Kinsel? Has something happened?’
‘It’s just a hunch.’ She looked down and saw Kinsel signing autographs and talking with admirers. ‘Those two.’ She pointed. ‘The ones dressed alike.’
‘In the black and grey? What about them?’
‘It could be nothing.’
‘If Kinsel’s in danger, he needs me.’
‘
No
. Stay where you are.’ Serrah’s tone forbade argument.
‘Is something bad going to happen to Kinsel?’ Lirrin piped up, sensing the adults’ alarm.
‘No, darling,’ Tanalvah assured her, almost calmly, ‘it’s all right.’ To Serrah she mouthed,
‘Isn’t it?’
Serrah didn’t answer.
They watched.
Kinsel finished signing his name for somebody and handed back the paper.
‘Kinsel Rukanis.’ It wasn’t a question, more a flat statement.
He looked up. Two men, clad darkly, stared at him. Their faces were sober. ‘Yes,’ he replied tentatively.
‘You’re going to do exactly what we tell you,’ one of them said. He spoke softly, but his manner was professional, and threatening.
‘Who are you?’
‘We have the authority of the state. That’s all you need to know.’
‘And we’re not here alone,’ the other man added.
‘Am I being arrested?’
‘You’re to be taken into custody, yes.’
‘On what charge?’
‘This isn’t a debate,’ the first man informed him coldly. ‘Our orders are to take you quietly, if possible. But it makes no difference to us. If you want to be difficult, an awful lot
of people here are going to get hurt. It’s your choice.’
Kinsel didn’t doubt he meant it. ‘I understand.’
‘Good. Now you’re going to tell your minders that you have to leave. Don’t make a meal of it. Then we’re going out of here with no fuss. Got that?’
‘Yes.’ He wanted to ask to see Tanalvah and the children, but knew that would be a mistake.
‘Just do as we say,’ the second man told him, ‘and no blood need be shed.’
On the stage, Kutch and Disgleirio joined the women.
‘Have you-’ Quinn began.
‘Yes,’ Serrah said, ‘we see them.’
Tanalvah was growing more distraught. ‘They’re taking him away. Do something!’
‘It isn’t just those two,’ Serrah pointed out. ‘There are others down there.’
At least a dozen similarly dressed men had made their way into the tent.
‘And no doubt they’ll be plenty more about the place,’ Disgleirio reckoned.
‘They can’t do this,’ Tanalvah protested, her eyes welling.
‘They’re government,’ Serrah said, ‘they can do what they damn well please.’
‘Do you think they’re after all of us?’ Kutch wondered, looking troubled.
‘They only seem interested in Kinsel,’ Quinn replied. ‘If this was some kind of general raid we’d know it by now.’
‘Why are you standing here
talking
?’ Tanalvah demanded. ‘Help him!’
The children were distressed and crying, too. Kutch did his best to comfort them.
‘There are a lot of civilians here, Tan,’ Serrah reminded her, ‘and it’s a good bet those bastards don’t give a damn about them. If we wade in-’
‘If you won’t do something, I will!’ Tanalvah spat.
Serrah grabbed her arm and held on tight. ‘If you move, or scream, or do anything to attract their attention, so help me I’ll knock you down.’ She backed the threat with a clenched fist.
Tanalvah stared at her for a moment. Then she began to break down. ‘Oh gods, it’s my fault. I made him do this. I-’
‘
Shut up.
Get a hold. This isn’t helping Kinsel. Or the kids.’ She turned to Kutch. ‘You’re going to stick with Lirrin and Teg. You stay with them whatever happens. Right?’ Kutch nodded. ‘As for Kinsel, all we can do for now is find out where they’re taking him.’
‘I’ll do that,’ Quinn offered.
‘All right, but be careful. Go.’
He slipped away.
Down in the tent, Kinsel was leaving, flanked by his two escorts. Their associates followed at a distance, keeping a watch on the crowd.
‘It wasn’t supposed to be like this,’ Tanalvah muttered.
Serrah looked at her. ‘What?’
All she got was another blank stare.
‘We have to get you away from here, Tan. And not back to your place either. Kutch, stay close. Come on, all of you.’
Once his captors had got Kinsel a reasonable distance from the concert area, they stopped. One of them produced a pair of glamoured hand shackles.
‘That won’t be necessary,’ Kinsel promised.
‘Orders,’ the man grunted. He clamped the bracelets on Kinsel’s wrists. They tightened of their own accord, and would stay that way, unbreakable, until the counter spell revoked them.
They resumed walking at a brisk pace, trailed by their accomplices, who amounted to at least a score by now. A number of them went forward to clear the way of curious
citizens leaving the park. There were plenty of other people about, and not a few of them recognised Rukanis. But no one felt confident enough to brave his escort and approach him.
Disgleirio followed, hanging well back, trying to look like any other citizen and using the occasional tree for cover.
Kinsel was marched to a road abutting the park. There was a heavy security presence. An assortment of uniformed men and women prowled the area, but the majority were red-jacketed paladins. Curious bystanders were being kept well away.
A small fleet of carriages was parked in the road. The grandest was harnessed to four coal-black steeds, and its windows were blinded. He was taken to it, bundled in and deposited heavily on one of the leather seats. Then the door was slammed. He found himself facing a young man in the uniform of a high-ranking paladin officer. The man favoured him with a triumphant smile.
‘What a pleasure it is to meet you at last,’ Devlor Bastorran said.
13
By the time they got to the nearest safe house there was an air of barely suppressed panic.
Serrah did her best to comfort Tanalvah, leaving Kutch to look after the children more or less on his own. None of them felt secure, and Serrah was at a window or door every few minutes to check on the outside world. There was no sign of Disgleirio.
Within the hour, Caldason arrived.
‘Everybody all right?’ he asked as he slipped in, doffing his hood.
‘Yes. Well, physically.’ Serrah nodded towards Tanalvah, hunched in a chair by the hearth, staring into the yellow-blue flames of a log fire. ‘She’s still in shock. I’d leave her be for now.’
He nodded. ‘And Kutch?’
‘Upstairs with the kids. He’s fine.’
‘What about you?’
‘Me?’
‘How do you feel?’
‘I’m all right, Reeth. What did you expect, that I’d run amok or something?’
‘No. From what I’ve heard you dealt with it in exactly the right way. But just lately you have been a bit…’
‘Unpredictable? Apt to fly off the handle? Like you?’
‘Well…’
They exchanged sheepish smiles.
‘It’s funny, but having to take charge back there kind of centred me. Otherwise…well, maybe my reaction would have been different.’